Mactan Island lies a few kilometers to the southeast of the island of Cebu in the Philippines . The island is part of the province of Cebu and is divided into Lapu-Lapu City and the municipality of Cordova .

The Mactan-Cebu International Airport , the country's second busiest airport, is found on Mactan. Mactan is also the site of the Battle of Mactan , the first battle between native Filipinos and Europeans. In this battle, which occurred in 1521 , the explorer Ferdinand Magellan met his death at the hands of the tribesmen under the local chieftain Lapu-Lau, for whom Lapu-Lapu City was named.